India Split Wide Open

We are in the last leg of the Congress-led government’s five years at the center and all signs point toward this lame-duck coalition failing to return to power. And I say so because this government has managed to do more damage to the country than all previous Congress governments have collectively done in the past.

Five years in power and all the government has to show are schemes, many of them. The only problem being most of these schemes have failed at the ground level. Implementation has been laughable, and rife with corruption.

The Congress through out its tenure has been more worried about not rubbing the juvenile Left the wrong way than ensuring correct and productive implementation of plans that would help the people that need government help the most—the poor of the country. And for all its pro-poor shenanigans the Left has repeatedly displayed that it is no better than its opponents whom it likes to accuse of wrongdoing at the slightest of opportunity.

Farmers are committing suicide, prices of essentials are continuously hitting new highs, corruption is rampant, government projects like the highways project are running way behind schedule, the nuclear deal with the US appears to be going no where, and acts of terrorism are on the rise…the list is endless.

I think the Congress and its allies got it all wrong. Their sole reason for coming together was to fight communal forces (read BJP). And when any coalition is formed solely to keep one opponent out of power and progress of the nation is just one of the things in its long list of populist agenda, then that government cannot harbor hopes of getting reelected.

As shown by Narendra Modi in Gujarat, people will vote for progress. I am no fan of Mr. Modi and I condemn the 2002 riots. But one cannot deny that Mr. Modi has also done much for the progress of Gujarat as a state. And his personal image as a clean politician (read near zero corruption) is a huge plus. How many in the Congress can claim to be even 50% clean?

Gujarat has one of the best road networks in the country. The environment for business is very fertile and friendly, and the government has by and large acted as a facilitator of growth and not the guardian and guarantor of growth. The government has to realize that its job is to facilitate growth and not rig growth.

Another problem is the servile image that senior Congress politicians have portrayed in front of the public by falling at Sonia Gandhi’s feet and showing lack of decision making capacity without sanction from the High Command (read Ms. Sonia Gandhi). Forget what anyone else has to say, for me, personally, the capability of any party that can’t find a president from over 1 billion Indians by birth to take this country forward is debatable. That for me also shows the level of decadence in the thought process of the party and its leaders.

Did our freedom fighters sacrifice everything to drive out the British, only to give power back to a foreigner? And to make matters worse, hand over control to a person with no political experience other than being the daughter-in-law of the Nehru-Gandhi family? That to me shows the capability, or the lack of it, of the party leadership.

And now we have senior politicians singing praises of Rahul Gandhi, a political non-entity who has done nothing worthwhile in life that warrants the party to project him as a future prime minister. I have just one question—what is Rahul Gandhi’s qualification other than his surname to lead the Congress and at some point of time, the nation?

Looking at the larger perspective, are our political parties so intellectually bankrupt that they can’t find about 545 qualified, well educated, clean candidates from a population of over 1 billion to send to the Lok Sabha and take this country forward?

I guess the answer is no. There is no political will to upset the corrupt, money making ways, be it the Congress or the BJP or any other party. And we people also are to blame for the current situation that we find the country in.

If memory serves me right, veteran journalist Abhay Mokashi had contested either a Lok Sabha or Assembly election as an independent from the Mumbai North-West constituency on the plank of good governance and willingness to fight corruption. He lost his deposit.

That to me shows how our people fail those who want to work for the country’s progress and not the self. So I guess we deserve to be ruled either by a Congress led or a BJP led coalition that will continue to milk the country dry of its last drop of humanity and we individually will continue to remain happy in our 600-square-feet islands of tranquility that we like to call home, while our real home, the nation, bleeds to death.

Rules Are Meant To Be Broken

Rules are meant to be broken. I guess, a more politically correct word would be circumvented. This is more so if we are from India. And before patriotic souls take my comment to heart and cry foul, I would say at least read me out before you bring that frown on your face.

We do follow rules, but those set by us. So each individual decides what is right for him or her and behaves accordingly. If that is what we call following rules, then we do follow them to the T.

I am driving on a four lane highway and my lane is moving slower than the one to my left. So what will I do? I will just veer left. I don’t have eyes behind my head, so it’s for the guy behind me to be careful. Cutting lanes is against the law, but my personal law book doesn’t say so. So there i go.

I am walking on the road and suddenly I feel the urge to urinate. What do I do? Find the nearest wall, aim and shoot. So what if I am wrong, it’s nature and nature cannot be controlled. But if someone else is peeing on my wall, then the laws of nature change. And I reserve the right to decide what’s right and what’s wrong.

I will cross the road when the traffic light is green. It’s the duty of the drivers to wait until your lordship crosses the road. And if someone honks or abuses me I will let loose a volley of expletives. And why shouldn’t I do so when my fundamental right to cross the road has been questioned? Damn the traffic rules, did the lawmakers consult me before framing them?

I will use public transport but will not pay for it. And why should I? I have helped elect the government, and hence, government property (read public property) is mine. And if caught, I will either feign ignorance of the need to have a ticket, or thrash the ticket checker for having questioned my very right to use public transport.

I will stick bills on walls, write slogans, spit betel leaf, and indulge in many such creative pursuits. It’s my country and I will do as I deem fit. No questions asked.

And when I am asked as to what happens to responsibility that comes with ownership, I will say it should be a collective feeling. And collectively we choose to act independent. Hence, many a time I am left wondering if Democracy is the best thing for juvenile delinquents like us.

For, if being independent means behaving thoughtlessly and selfishly, then we won’t last for long as one nation. It’s just a matter of time before someone else colonizes us and then we will follow rules, because we understand only one language, the language of fear.

Politics Rocks, Literally

Politicians’ sons and daughters are getting married in seven-star hotels. The guest lists read the who’s who of the power circle. Fifty or hundred course meals are served and government machinery is seen serving its political masters at the tax payer’s cost. And in villages across the country the growling sounds of empty stomachs are growing louder by the day. I know politicians are doing nothing illegal, but how ethical is splurging on personal celebrations by a class under oath to uphold the basic rights of their countrymen? If that’s ethical, then what’s the difference between a Monarchy and a Democracy?

In metros and large cities, the moral police are busy clamping down on couples, opposing Valentine’s Day, enforcing dress codes for women, and giving lectures on morality. A few hundred kilometers away, women in villages don’t have enough cloth to cover themselves and lead a life of dignity. And I don't see any moral police there upholding the dignity of these women. There’s no gain in trying to save those without voter cards, is there?

Political parties and religious organizations are on the ball ban movies, plays, and books that they think are obscene. Reasons given include rape scenes in movies infringe on the dignity of women, the story offends the sentiments of the religious, a book can affect the psyche of young readers and negatively alters their outlook to life, and the play violates the spirit of humanity. Every time I switch on a news channel, all I can hear of is some woman being molested, people killing each other in the name of religion, and the list in endless. And I don't see these people who are so eager to clampdown on art anywhere in the picture trying to protect these real life victims or ensuring justice for them. No one wants long term commitments, I guess.

Every business worth its salt talks of corporate social responsibility. Every NGO claims to be helping the poor. Every government claims it is the messiah of the masses. If everyone is so busy helping the poor, then why on earth is the number of poor increasing by the day. Or are we to believe that the poor are leveraging the benefits of being poor? I guess aimless charity is a fashionable and visible way of building brand equity. That it benefits no one is a different matter.

And last, if political parties and leaders spend the money that they waste on election campaigns on improving the life of the common man, they wouldn’t have to campaign in the first place. But then what’s the fun in helping people in need. The law of life is to help those who don't need it and condemn those who need it. It’s akin to gifting a Mercedes to Mukesh Ambani. But that’s what people do, don’t they.

The Business of Eradicating Poverty

Politicians are making generosity with public money a habit. Finance ministers keep waiving off loans, PSUs keep waiving off debt, babus keep getting pay hikes for doing nothing, and now even a political non-entity called Rahul Gandhi appears to be unhappy with P Chidambaram’s Rs600 billion largesse. Gandhi wants the waiver spread to be bigger.

Yes why not, it ain’t going from his pocket, is it? And not for a second am I saying that farmers shouldn’t be helped. Any citizen in distress should receive comfort from the government. My question: is waiver of loans the correct way to go about it? My answer: No.

By indulging in such political gimmicks all we are doing is relegating the farmer from the farmer class to the beggar class. And what makes the government think that a one-time waiver is going to prevent the farmer from assuming additional debt? Or does this and successive governments plan a similar or larger waiver every 10 years?

As for Rahul Gandhi’s demand, I have one question for the not so young leader. If you loan out a million dollars of your personal money to someone, would you so willingly waive of that amount on humanitarian grounds? Your political answer may be yes, but all of us know that you won’t do so and nor would any other politician.

That brings me to the question of are governments right in using public money for political gains? Again the answer is NO. And the waiver in this budget is just that, vote bank politics.

The Congress which always claims to be the messiah of the poor has been in power for almost 50 of the 60 years since independence. And they have shown similar largesse many a times in these 50 years in power. Then why is it that the number of poor has increased? If largesse works then shouldn’t the number of poor have declined significantly?

Indira Gandhi raised the slogan Garibi hatao (eradicate poverty) about 35 years ago. Sadly in many cases we have seen the party and its members eradicating the poor for personal gains (read real estate) and most of the times resorting to tokenism.

So when Rahul Gandhi talks of increasing the dole, it makes my blood boil. Why should I, a tax payer, fund these hair-brained, politically motivated flights of fancies of politicians, be it Rahul Gandhi or LK Advani? Tax payers do not work 12 to 14 hours a day so that political parties can keep milking the country dry for narrow personal and political gains.

It would make greater sense for politicians to use this money to build irrigation systems for farmers, teach them alternative professions that can help generate a livelihood in times when farming is not an option. Use this money for building roads, bridges, dams, airports, rail networks, the list is endless.

People can argue that these things are being done. I agree. But is enough being done? The answer again is NO.

I guess it’s time for us the commons to wake up and start asking the government to be accountable for the money that they spend, cut wasteful expenditure, stop resorting to political gimmicks, and build a nation that can compete with the best in the world.

It’s high time we stop just wearing our patriotism on our sleeves and start showing it through our actions. What say friends, are we game or are we content with things the way they are and wait for a white knight to come and save us, rather than assuming the responsibility of nation-building?

Of Crime & Criminals

If we know something is wrong and if we still do it, isn’t that equal to committing a crime? Ten of ten the answer will be yes. But when we look around us as we go about with our daily lives, the reality becomes starker that all of us are law breakers. We commit crimes and move on as if everything’s normal. That’s when I realized why we keep spouting pearls of wisdom, such as a law is meant to be broken.

For us, talking about crime is just a matter of hiding guilt and conveniently convincing ourselves that what we are doing isn’t wrong because everyone else is doing the same. The logic: two negatives equal a positive. Fight fire with fire; steel cuts steel, so I guess the way to fight crime is by committing a counter crime.

And I am not even talking about murder, rape, theft and the likes. I am talking about small things that are considered wrong but where the line between wrong and crime is invisible or at best blurred beyond recognition.

Smoking most likely kills; secondhand smoke kills. But we continue to puff away and nonchalantly blow smoke in the faces of unsuspecting bystanders. The government plans of ways to curb smoking but will not stop the manufacture and sale of tobacco products for anything that generates revenue is fine. Then why call contract killers criminals? Charge a tax and make killing legal.

Prostitution is a crime; prostitutes are criminals. But we have millions of women in the trade 99% of whom have been forced into it against their wishes. And we justify the continuance of this trade with absurd logic such as they provide an outlet to desperate souls who if they do not have this outlet could go around raping our women. To save our women, letting other women suffer is fine. I guess people who think so have the larger good of mankind in mind and are Saints. And again people who visit these sex workers are no criminals either. There we turn capitalist; if a service is available for a price, then we must make maximum use. Yeah, right!

We are in desperate need of a Gas cylinder. That justifies bribing the delivery guy to ensure out of turn delivery. That’s called enterprise, I guess. And what’s so criminal about getting what one wants? By hook or by crook, what’s so crooked about it?

While driving, my goal is to reach my destination in the quickest possible time. So what’s wrong in cutting lanes, jumping red lights, and maybe on a really good day knocking down a pedestrian, cyclist, or a motor cyclist or all three? The government should have made a special lane for me. Since it hasn’t, it’s the government’s fault that I have to resort to these tactics to reach my destination as fast as I can. So I guess the government is the criminal here. And in our political masters’ understanding of democracy, the government can never commit a crime. Hence, none of us are criminals.

In short, what I am getting at is we do so many things in a day that are ethically incorrect and technically qualify as a crime that somewhere we have lost our sensitivity to doing things right even if it is going to cost us a bit. It is high time that we shed this cloak of convenience and start doing the small things right and we will see that the larger things will automatically start taking care of themselves. The logic: if we stop committing smaller acts of indiscretion then we will not think of indulging in extravagant ones. The question is, are we as a society game to give up our little luxuries for a bigger luxury—a zero crime world.

Saving Tibet Is All About Saving India

1. The issue of Tibet’s independence has been in the collective global mind-space for over six decades. The world in-principle has acknowledged China’s indiscretion and supported the right of Tibetans to be an independent people. But sadly, ride with the horses and hunt with the wolves is all the rest of the world has done. And ironically, the rest of the world feels it has done its bit for the Tibetan cause.
   
   I for one am not getting into specifics of history though it’s acknowledged fact that Tibet until the early part of the twentieth century was an independent kingdom, hidden from the eyes of the word, a la Shangri-La. So how and when did Tibet become a part of China is something even the Chinese capita-commie rulers will find hard to explain and prove.
   
   Yet, the fact that the Chinese could annex Tibet and have continued to rule this land for over decades now is a testament of how the world views China and how little value the world has for Tibetan life and values.
   
   But friends, in Tibet, the rest of the world has a lesson to learn. China is hosting the 2008 Beijing Olympics and in the name of this mega event the Dragon is busy expanding road and rail networks to Tibet and also along the territories bordering the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. So what, you will ask, for what China does within its boundaries is its concern.
   
   My question is considering what happened to Tibet would it be wise for India to wait for China to do a Tibet with Arunachal Pradesh? Skeptics can laugh at my reasoning, but make no mistake, when China does make its move, we will be forced to redefine our map to reflect an India minus Arunachal Pradesh. You can call this being alarmist, but I believe that being alarmist is better than losing India.
   
   India has supported Tibetans by letting them live in Dharamsala and by allowing them to form a Government in Exile. But what use is that help when the people have no hope of deliverance?
   
   The world has turned a blind eye to Tibet. Believe me, it will do the same if China were to attack and annex Arunachal Pradesh. And if that were to happen, our dear politicians will end up doing precious little other than playing the blame game. And Arunachal would be gone, and it’s people prisoners of an alien regime.
   
   And if that were to happen, then what would stop Pakistan from annexing Jammu & Kashmir with Chinese help. China is Pakistan’s closest ally after the United States in the global political arena. Then we will have Pakistan and Bangladesh with the help of China attacking and annexing West Bengal, Darjeeling and the North-Eastern states.
   
   So do we get the picture here? Do we see the map of an India minus all these territories? There is no point in waiting for the US and its allies, which means practically the whole of the Western world, to wake up to the designs of the Chinese and support the Tibetan cause. They will do no such thing because their economic welfare lies in the hands of the Chinese, what with even miniatures of the Statue of Liberty sold on Liberty Island being made in China. The symbol of democracy, equality, freedom, and liberty being made in a country that knows not the meaning of any of these words, let alone practice them.
   
   So dear friends, it is in the best interest of India that we Indians support the Tibetan cause, not with any noble intention of helping Tibet, but with the selfish motive of safeguarding our borders from an expansionist China and its ally Pakistan. Are we going to realize this reality or are we going to settle for selling Made in China miniatures of the Taj Mahal? That is for you my fellow countrymen to decide.